Three-dimensional forming data management system and method

Abstract

A management system that manages forming data to be used in forming of a three-dimensional object. The management system encrypts the forming data such that a forming control apparatus, which controls a forming apparatus managed by the management system, performs decryption processing. The management system notifies a request source of a forming request of the forming data of a forming code to be generated for forming processing to be performed based on the forming data in response to an approval by a user associated with target forming data of the forming request. The notified forming code is used to acquire the encrypted forming data or control the forming processing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system including a management system that manages forming data to be used in forming of a three-dimensional object and a forming control apparatus,
 wherein the management system comprises a memory storing first instructions and at least one processor executing the first instructions causing the management system to: 
 manage, in a first table, identification information about a forming apparatus that forms the three-dimensional object; 
 encrypt forming data such that the forming data can be decrypted by the forming control apparatus; 
 manage, in a second table, identification information about the encrypted forming data and user information for identifying a user who approves utilization of the forming data while associating them with each other; 
 receive a forming request of forming data; 
 generate a forming code for forming processing to be performed based on the forming data, in response to an approval by a user identified by the user information managed in association with identification information about the forming data as a target of the forming request in the second table; and 
 notify a request source of the forming request of the forming code, and 
 wherein the forming control apparatus comprises a memory storing second instructions and at least one processor executing the second instructions causing the forming control apparatus to: 
 receive an input of the forming code; 
 transmit the forming code to the management system; 
 acquire the encrypted forming data transmitted by the management system according to the forming code; 
 perform decryption processing on the encrypted forming data acquired from the management system; and 
 control the forming unit to perform forming processing of a three-dimensional object based on the forming data subjected to the decryption processing. 
 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second instructions further cause the forming control apparatus to notify the management system of a success or failure status of the forming processing performed using the forming data corresponding to the forming code, and
 wherein the first instructions further cause the management system to manage, in a third table, the forming code, identification information about the forming data corresponding to the forming code, and the status notified from the forming control apparatus. 
 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first instructions further cause the management system to transmit the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code to the forming control apparatus in response to the transmission of the forming code having been input from the forming control apparatus. 
 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first instructions further cause the management system to manage, a third table, the forming code in association with identification information about a forming apparatus that performs the forming processing on the forming data corresponding to the forming code, and 
 wherein the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code is transmitted to the forming control apparatus if the identification information about the forming apparatus corresponding to a transmission source of the forming code coincides with identification information managed in association with the forming code in the third table. 
 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first instructions further cause the management system to generate expiration date of the forming code together with the forming code, and 
 wherein the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code is transmitted to the forming control apparatus if the expiration date corresponding to the forming code has not yet passed. 
 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the encrypted forming data acquired by the forming control apparatus includes, as meta information, at least one of a forming code, identification information about a forming apparatus that performs the forming processing, and a status. 
     
     
       7. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming control apparatus is realized as a built-in computer of a forming apparatus that includes the forming unit performing the forming processing based on the forming data subjected to the decryption processing. 
     
     
       8. A method for a system including a management system that manages forming data to be used in forming of a three-dimensional object and a forming control apparatus, the method comprising:
 managing, in a first table, by the management system, identification information about a forming apparatus that forms the three-dimensional object; 
 encrypting, by the management system, forming data such that the forming data is decrypted by the forming control apparatus; 
 managing, in a second table, by the management system, identification information about the encrypted forming data and user information for identifying a user who approves utilization of the forming data while associating them with each other; 
 receiving, at the management system, a forming request of forming data; 
 generating, by the management system, a forming code for forming processing to be performed based on the forming data, in response to an approval by a user identified by the user information managed in association with identification information about the forming data as target of the received forming request in the second table; 
 notifying, by the management system, a request source of the received forming request of the forming code; 
 receiving an input of the forming code; 
 transmitting the forming code to the management system; 
 acquiring, by the forming control apparatus, encrypted forming data transmitted by the management system according to the forming code; 
 performing, by the forming control apparatus, decryption processing on the acquired encrypted forming data; and 
 controlling, by the forming control apparatus, the forming unit to perform forming processing of a three-dimensional object based on the forming data subjected to the decryption processing. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 notifying the management system of a success or failure status of the forming processing performed using the forming data corresponding to the forming code; and 
 managing, in a third table, the forming code, identification information about the forming data corresponding to the forming code, and the status notified from the forming control apparatus. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 transmitting the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code to the forming control apparatus in response to the transmission of the forming code having been input from the forming control apparatus. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 managing, in a third table, the forming code in association with identification information about a forming apparatus that performs the forming processing on the forming data corresponding to the forming code; and 
 transmitting the encrypted forming data 
 
       corresponding to the forming code to the forming control apparatus if the identification information about the forming apparatus corresponding to a transmission source of the forming code coincides with the identification information managed in association with the forming code in the third table. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 generating expiration date of the forming code together with the forming code, and 
 transmitting the encrypted forming data corresponding to the forming code to the forming control apparatus if the expiration date corresponding to the forming code has not yet passed. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the encrypted forming data acquired by the forming control apparatus includes, as meta information, at least one of a forming code, identification information about a forming apparatus that should perform the forming processing, and a status. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the forming control apparatus is realized as a built-in computer of a forming apparatus that includes the forming unit performing the forming processing based on the forming data subjected to the decryption processing.